Binge eating disorder (BED) is prevalent in the United States and is associated with serious distress and impairment. Recent data suggest that BED, unlike other eating disorders, is as likely to be diagnosed among African American and Hispanic/Latino Americans as among Caucasians, and health problems associated with BED may disproportionately affect minority ethnic/racial groups. Although a sizable number of clinical trials of psychotherapy for BED have been conducted, no individual clinical trials have included individuals from minority ethnic groups in sufficient numbers to allow for ethnic/racial group comparisons. This study proposes to conduct a preliminary investigation of symptom presentation and psychosocial treatment response among African American and Hispanic/Latino subjects with BED through the re-analysis of existing data. We propose to aggregate data from multiple trials of psychosocial treatments of BED to produce the power necessary to compare ethnic groups and examine correlates of severity and outcome. We have created a willing network of investigators who have conducted randomized clinical trials for the treatment of BED in the United States since 1995. Preliminary data analysis indicates that the aggregation of available clinical trial data should yield data for N = 107 African American and N = 53 Hispanic/Latino treatment trial participants, as well N >800 Caucasian participants. The aims of the current study will be (1) to compare baseline symptomatology in treatment-seeking subjects from African American and Hispanic/Latino backgrounds (including body mass index (BMI), rates of binge eating, cognitive eating disorder symptoms, and associated depression and anxiety) to that of Caucasian participants in trials of BED, to examine the associations of SES with severity in these groups, and to examine the characteristics of treatment-seeking subjects relative to two non-treatment seeking epidemiological samples;(2) to compare drop out, improvement, and recovery of subjects with African American and Hispanic/Latino backgrounds to that of Caucasian participants in trials of BED and examine the interrelationships of race/ethnicity and other predictors such as pre-treatment severity, BMI, SES, and depression, and their relative impact on outcome. This study will provide important data to address health disparities in this area, including issues in treatment access and treatment outcome. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This application proposes to study binge eating disorder symptomatology and treatment response among African American and Hispanic/Latinos who have participated in psychotherapy trials for treatments of this disorder as binge eating disorder is the most prevalent eating disorder in the United States, and it appears to be equally prevalent in African American and Hispanic/Latino groups in the United States as in Caucasian groups. Preliminary data also suggest it is equally prevalent among sub-groups of those from minority ethnic/racial groups defined by country of origin, acculturation status, and other factors. Although African Americans and Hispanic/Latinos suffer as much as or more from binge eating disorder, obesity, and physical health issues linked to obesity, they are less likely to receive treatment for binge eating disorder and this study will attempt to define and understand health disparities in this area, and assess the relative impact of socioeconomic and related mental health factors in minority ethnic/racial and Caucasian subjects.